Roberts Says He’s Facing Lifelong ‘Persecution’ Over His Fund-Raiser

Stumbling in front of his pulpit to dramatize how he has been stung by criticism of his do-or-die fund-raiser, Oral Roberts on Sunday said he fought off the devil, surpassed his $8-million goal and now must suffer persecution for the rest of his life.

“They’re coming after me,” the evangelist said in the two-hour service at Church on the Rock. “I’m going to stand the persecution.”

Roberts went into his prayer tower on the campus of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., on March 22 to pray and fast in an attempt to attract contributions for a medical missionary program.

On Jan. 4, Roberts had told viewers of his weekly television program that he was short of the $8 million God had told him to raise by March 31 or be “called home.”

The day before he entered the tower, a Florida dog track owner contributed $1.3 million, which allowed Roberts to meet his $8-million goal. But the evangelist said Sunday God had told him to continue his vigil.

“He said raise $8 million above your regular needs,” Roberts said. “That was taken out of context and a tremendous persecution was raised toward me.”

“Near the end of the 10 days (that he was in the tower), when it looked like I could not birth (the medical missionary program) and the media was raging and my name was on the lips, I suppose, of every person in this country, it was like a spiritual hurricane.”

He said that on the last day, he heard God say: “ ‘Now, you can stay up here until midnight. You can stay and pray, but it’s done. The medical mission is done.’ ”

Last Wednesday Roberts said $9.1 million had been raised.